Quiz: Howstuffworks

How well do you know your baseball jargon?

About This Quiz

"Texas leaguer," "can of corn," "tools of ignorance" ... baseball generates slang like few other sports do. If you think you speak the lingo of the diamond, test your knowledge now with our quiz!

What is "the plate"?

a catcher's mouthguard

the confines of the infield

the edges of the warning track

the hard, semi-trapezoidal marker of home base

This was an easy one. Incidentally, a pitcher's mound also has a plate, from which he pushes off while pitching, but you'll hear this "plate" referred to much less often.

What is a "bag"?

a corked ball

a soft, broken-in glove

an ugly baseball wife or girlfriend

first, second or third base

The three infield bases are raised "bags," compared to home plate, which is hard and set into the dirt. This is why you'll hear runners referred to as "getting a foot on the bag."

Who is the "skipper"?

the catcher

the manager

the third-base coach

the mascot

"Skipper" is slang borrowed from sailing. It means "captain," or the guy in charge of it all.

What is the DL?

the defensive leader, or team's best defensive player

the disabled list, a list of players out with injuries

the down-low, aka a ground ball

the direct line, on which managers call the pitching coach

You'll hear this often when announcers are doing their pre-game chatter. Who's on and off the DL greatly affects a team's chances of winning.

If there are "ducks on the pond," what's going on?

someone is stealing the signs

fans have thrown items on the field

there are runners on base

there's more than one ball on the field

If there are "ducks on the pond," a manager will make decisions differently than when the bases are empty. For example, an opposing manager might pull a struggling pitcher, to keep him from giving up runs.

What is a "fireballer"?

a player who currently has a great batting average

a pitcher who throws a lot of fastballs

a catcher who can fire the ball to anywhere on the field

a pitcher who throws at hitters' heads

"Fireballers" are always in demand. But watch out -- if a hitter really connects with a fastball, the very speed of the pitch almost guarantees that ball is gone -- it's physics!

What is "painting the corners"?

getting runners on first and third

playing fast and loose with the width of the warning track

getting the ball to the very edges of the strike zone

playing without base coaches

Not all pitchers can throw in the triple digits (miles per hour). Getting the ball to the very edges of the strike zone, and thus tempting hitters into not swinging, is a skill that can make up for a lack of heat on the fastball. Don't confuse this term with "runners on the corners," though, which is having runners on first and third.

What is a "suicide squeeze"?

a game with a one-run margin

infielders catching a runner hung up between bases

when the outfielders come in very close to the infield

a player taking off from third as a pitch is thrown

In a suicide squeeze, the baserunner knows that his teammate is going to bunt, but doesn't wait to see if it's successful. He's just taking off on a wing and a prayer.

What is a "can of corn"?

a fly ball that's easy to catch

a slow-footed baserunner

an incompetent manager

a low-paid player

A "high pop-up" is usually a "can of corn," or an easy catch to make. This term is believed to come from the days when players worked low-paying jobs in the off-season -- like stocking shelves at grocery stores, where they tossed and caught canned foods.

If a player is "Cadillacking," what is he doing?

playing in a way that justifies a high salary

feigning slow baserunning to lull the opposing team into complacence

jogging slowly around the bases after a home run

arriving at the ballpark

This is the classic, leisurely home-run jog. We suspect more than one groundskeeper, when no players or management staff are around, has done this for fun.

If you have an "iron glove," what do you have?

poor fielding skills

a solid performance as a catcher

a lengthy contract with one team

an award for your fielding

Yup, an "iron glove" is poor fielding. It's the equivalent of a lead foot on the base paths.

Who "retires the side"?

the manager

the pitcher

an umpire

a slugger

To "retire the side" is to get three outs, ending the inning. Even better is to "retire the side in order," -- in other words, "three up, three down."

What does the letter K represent?

a home run

a strikeout

a series sweep

a game called off due to rain

Fans hang "K" signs on the stadium railings, adding one for every strikeout a pitcher earns. It's typical to turn the third "K" backward, so as not to accidentally evoke the Ku Klux Klan on national TV.

What is a "slugger"?

a batter who swings at everything

a batter who gets a lot of extra-base hits

a batter who connects with fastballs well

a batter who's slow on the base paths

"Slugging percentage" is part of a player's statistics. Sluggers often bat fourth in the order, on the hope that there will be players on base for him to get home.

If the players are "clearing the benches," what are they getting ready to do?

take the field

load the bases

listen to the National Anthem

fight!

The common term for a significant fight in baseball is a "bench-clearing brawl." A really big one will include the relief pitchers, who arrive late because they have to jog in from the bullpen.

What are the Tools of Ignorance?

the pitcher's glove and rosin bag

the umpire's eyes and ears

the catcher's protective gear

the cameras and notebooks the media uses

This doesn't mean catchers are dumb: in fact, they tend to be savvy, respected team leaders. Instead, it refers to the deliberate blind eye catchers have to turn to the danger they've put themselves in, putting their heads so close to a swinging wooden club and a 100-mph missile of a ball.

What is a "beanball"?

a bean illegally filled with beans

a ball illegally filled with cork

a pitch illegally thrown at a hitter's head

an easy pitch to hit

This comes, of course, from the expression "getting beaned." While illegal, it's semi-tolerated among players if a pitcher does it as retribution for unsportsmanlike play; it's less acceptable if the pitcher does it because of personal dislike of a hitter or fear of his slugging abilities.

What is the "Mendoza line"?

a 3.0 earned run average

a 2.15 batting average

a salary of $1 million a year

the edge of the warning track

Player Mario Mendoza had a career batting average of 2.15. It's become a benchmark in hitting for an average performance.

What is "scoring position"?

third base

second or third base

first, second or third base

a vigilant stance a baserunner adopts while on base

If a runner is on second or third, that's considered "scoring position," from which the runner can get home if the guy at the plate gets as much as a single. But even third base might not be "scoring position" if you're not fast enough (we're looking at you, catchers!)

Which of these is NOT a slang term for the Major Leagues?

the Bigs

the Ride

the Show

they all are

Minor-league players fantasize about getting to "the Bigs" or "the Show." The latter term was introduced to non-baseball fans by the hit 80s movie, "Bull Durham."

Who gets "crossed up"?

a first baseman

the catcher

the catcher and pitcher

an outfielder

Getting "crossed up" means that either the pitcher or catcher got confused about which pitch was to be thrown, which usually forces the catcher to scramble to keep the ball from getting away (or to duck to keep from getting hit). Simply put, it's a misunderstanding.

What is a "balk"?

when an outfielder refuses to dive for a ground ball

when a hitter swung at an intentional-walk throw

when an outfielder stops short in the warning track to keep from hitting the wall

any number of deceptive or illegal moves a pitcher might make on the mound

It takes a real baseball geek to understand all the things that constitute a balk. Not all of them involve unfair play on the part of the pitcher, either: A San Francisco Giants pitcher reportedly was charged with a balk when strong winds caused him to sway and shift position on the mound.

What is a team's magic number?

the next number likely to be retired

a full roster of healthy players

the number of games it needs to win its division

the number of shutout games it has played

The opposite of this is a team's "tragic number." That's the number of games it will lose before being mathematically eliminated from winning its division.

What is a "safety squeeze"?

it's when the runner waits to see where a bunt goes before taking off from third base

it's when a hitter tries to swing at an intentional walk

it's when a runner keeps one foot on base at all times

it's when a runner doesn't leave third on a bunt

A bunt is a good opportunity to get a run home. This version of the squeeze has the baserunner show a bit of caution, instead of jetting from third base as soon as the pitch is thrown.

What is "chin music"?

a player talking back to an umpire

a pitch thrown close to the batter's chin

a conference on the pitcher's mound

the chants that run through the crowd

"Chin music" sounds like it should be heckling or arguing, but it's not. This kind of high-inside pitch will often make a batter think twice about crowding the plate.

What is "rhubarb"?

slang for chewing tobacco

an argument between an umpire and manager, between players, etc.

especially wet turf

that stuff from which you make pie

Fans consider this part of baseball's entertainment value. It can end with a manager getting thrown out of the game -- not infrequently, in fact.

What are the "bush leagues"?

any team north of the Mason-Dixon line

any team south of the Mason-Dixon line

the minor-league teams

baseball played overseas

You probably know this one, as it's spread into common use. Unprofessional or petty behavior is often called "bush league."

What is a Texas leaguer?

a player just up from the minor leagues

a player likely to retire soon

an unpredictable pitcher

a weakly-hit ball that nonetheless gets the batter a hit

We're not sure why an unimpressive hit is linked to Texas. Maybe it's because in Texas, football is king, so it's associated with lackluster performance on the diamond.

Who/what makes a "bad hop"?

a batter

a ball

an infielder

a catcher

A "bad hop" is when a ball moves in an unpredictable way, causing the fielder to be delayed in getting a glove on it. This is usually due to small anomalies in the field, not the skill of the batter.

What is the counterpart of the Cactus League?

the Igloo League

the Grapefruit League

the Palm Tree League

the Chowder League

There are two Spring Training locations: Arizona and Florida. The former is called "the Cactus League," and the other is named for Florida's wealth of citrus.

What is a "frozen rope"?

a fastball

a solid line drive

a slow baserunner

a confection sold in the stands

"Frozen rope" might sound odd, but it does imply a certain solidity. In other words, it's a strong, straight-line hit that only the stiffest wind could blow off course.

What is a "brushback"?

a pickoff throw to first

a hit that lands in the infield

a high inside pitch

the easy lob thrown from pitcher to catcher in an intentional walk

This is a pitcher's way of warning a hitter to stop crowding the plate. See also "chin music." Incidentally, the age of those easy lobs between pitcher and catcher are over: an intentional walk is now "stipulated," a move meant to speed up the game.

A hitter who frequently steps out of the batter's box is called what?

a prima don

a fidgeter

a Stradivarius

a human rain delay

Baseball is a slow game. When a player steps out a lot, to adjust his shoes or his cup or whatever, you can't blame other players and fans for being sarcastic about it.

Who is likely to do a "tomahawk chop"?

a batter

an infielder

an umpire

fans of the Atlanta Braves

The "tomahawk chop" breaks out, along with a war cry, during a critical pitcher's duel or when a Braves' rally seems imminent. Culturally insensitive? Sure. But it caught fire in the Atlanta Braves' "worst-to-first" season in 1992, after the Braves had been perennial losers for years, and Atlanta fans refused to give it up.

What is a fielder's choice?

when a baseman chooses to run down a baserunner on foot

when a fielder lets a hitter get on base in order to get another player out

when one outfielder lets another catch a high fly

a kind of coffee served in clubhouses

Related, but not the same thing, is the infield fly rule. That says that an infielder can't deliberately let a fly ball drop to the infield to force the more advantageous out.

Sponsored Links

About HowStuffWorks Play

How much do you know about dinosaurs? What is an octane rating? And how do you use a proper noun? Lucky for you, HowStuffWorks Play is here to help. Our award-winning website offers reliable, easy-to-understand explanations about how the world works. From fun quizzes that bring joy to your day, to compelling photography and fascinating lists, HowStuffWorks Play offers something for everyone. Sometimes we explain how stuff works, other times, we ask you, but we’re always exploring in the name of fun! Because learning is fun, so stick with us!

Get smarter every day! Subscribe & get 1 quiz every week.

Playing quizzes is free! We send trivia questions and personality tests every week to your inbox. By
clicking "Sign Up" you are agreeing to our
privacy policy and confirming that you are 13
years old or over.